[Closed] Is there a more pointless car than the BMW X6?

those beamers aren't pointless, they are specificly designed to transport the over inflated egos of the people who drive them, so therefore the cars are also over inflated...

theres not much point to it in the UK, but in the US, its a high-seated, quiet, comfortable car, with good performance and economy. its made on the x5 platform so didn't cost BMW a lot to engineer. They make ~50,000 of them a year, so to a lot of people they're a decent enough choice

i'm all for choice. The average x6 owner probably thinks its pointless the number of near-identical steel frames you can buy. There's a lot more difference between a x5 and an x6 than between a 456 and a 456 summer season

There's a new housing estate in our town where the higher end properties have large pillars each side of the front door. Pointless, fugly and very out of place. Most of these properties have the cars shown above on the driveway.

[img] [/img]

That there's a hearse, right?

I'd have one of the new X3's - I know someone with one and it's a good car - not far off 50mpg, 4WD, 550L boot, and I think it looks fine. Wouldn't have an X6 though 🙂

I find the X6 a damn sight more attractive than the bloody KIA SOUL. But there was a thread the other week with everyone drooling over Kia Souls. So maybe I should just go away...

My dad's just bought one of the mini coupes, I am not allowed to say nasty things about them any more as he gets rather upset (but I do think that they're a pig ugly car). I wouldn't say that they're pointless though, my dad and step mum like the way it looks, and now that my brother has grown up they don't need rear seats anymore, besides it's their money.

I'll personaly reserve judgement until I've driven it, which won't be until after it's fully run in 😈

Liar! No one could possibly drool over this.
[img] [/img]

No idea if it has some functional virtues but if anyone likes them it's certainly not for the looks.

There bloody was! You search! I was the only one who said they are ugly!
My 9 year old says they make him feel physically sick. True!

i dont think it has anything at all to do with affordability, otherwise you would get the same complaints about other expensive cars, astons, 911's etc.

It's just that vehicles like the X6 are examples of genuinely pointless design...

it is not more economical/safer/faster/comfier/parkable than a posh 5 or 7 series of same or greater value (if you must compare, compare with other cars from the same brand)

and it also is totally not about being able to go off-road.

For the record no, I couldn't afford one, I go wobbly kneed at the idea of spending more than 3K on a car, I have plenty of love for other expensive cars, just not the pointless ones.

Audi A5 - why does it exist?

Pretty but pointless.

In fact with kids and bikes I now see anything other than estates or SUV type things as pointless. The critical factor for me now is - can you fit doors in it, house internal doors? Yes then ok but no means they're pointless.

Ever noticed how those who wish to defend the motor industry's more idiosyncratic products always try to employ the "politics of envy" argument?

@amedias but that's not right - an x6m is quicker round a track than most 911s or Astons, and has a nice high seating position for good visibility, plenty of ground clearance and 4wd for when the conditions are poor. A Cayenne Turbo is quicker round a track than a Lotus Exige but you could still get 5 adults and a couple of dogs in the boot.

Maybe the reason people dislike these types of car is because of what they represent - conspicuous consumption and a brash display of wealth - something that doesn't sit well within the British psyche because it reminds people of their own status? 🙂

Audi A5 - why does it exist?

I don't see the point of the 3 door one but the 5 door one makes sense - a grown up TT for people with children.

like an a4 then? its just as pointless as the x6 (in that, its a swoopy\slightly less practical version of an existing car) - but then the same goes for all coupes.

@randomjerry : Those laps times are a pointless comparison, those cars are not even similar.
In a short circuit sprint (like a cyclocross race for cars I suppose) then the Lotus would cack all over the blinging 4*4's you mention.

A Cayenne Turbo is quicker round a track than a Lotus Exige

Which track exactly? Nurburgring perhaps but it wouldn't at somewhere like Cadwell Park. Having driven an Exige (at Brands Hatch) I would say it would take a very good road car to beat it on most tracks really - I would be surprised if a Cayenne would get close.

"Maybe the reason people dislike these types of car is because of what they represent - conspicuous consumption and a brash display of wealth"
no an Audi R8 represents conspicuous consumption and a brash display of wealth and that is it's point. The BMW x6 is just an ugly waste of cash. The partners where i work have one of each , the Audi driver gets bitched about for waisting cash on a depreciating asset owning a car that he will never get to drive the way it's designed to be driven etc. The BMW owners car is never discussed unless it's blocking someone in the small car park.

🙄 Yes quite, the point being that something like a Cayenne (and perhaps to a lesser extent an X6) can go very fast round a track [i]and also[/i] carry you and your luggage across continents in comfort [i]and also[/i] fit a bike or a dog in the boot. So, not really pointless.

like an a4 then? its just as pointless as the x6 (in that, its a swoopy\slightly less practical version of an existing car) - but then the same goes for all coupes.

But the difference (IMO) between the pointless BMW and the pointless Audi is that at least the Audi looks beautiful.

The 5 series GT is the clear winner - first time I saw one on the road I just shouted "WTF is that?"

So fugly.

Afford one, no I couldn't. Drive one, no I wouldn't.

something that doesn't sit well within the British psyche because it reminds people of their own status?

So what does your X6 say about your status, random? I'm struggling here due to not seeing cars as status symbols.

yes but so can my Mondeo ST estate : and that does not get peoples backs up.

I doooo like the look of that four door Porsche, I'm a little embarrassed to admit... 😳

Yes quite, the point being that something like a Cayenne (and perhaps to a lesser extent an X6) can go very fast round a track and also carry you and your luggage across continents in comfort and also fit a bike or a dog in the boot. So, not really pointless.

A car with a USP could be forgiven if it had that USP through requirement (ie, it had to look like that to fulfil it's design requirements). But the BMW does the same as other cars but look awful to boot.

Lets move onto a Passatt CC, why?

Not my cup of tea but hardly pointless. Goes from a to b reliably and comfortably I'm sure which is what a cars supposed to do.

Regarding the porsche Panamera, how is that pointless? It's about the most practical car Porsche make. Ugly, maybe but I like it a lot.

[i]Who says we can't afford them (or already own one of the cars posted already...)[/i]

But you can't though can you 😀

[i]due to not seeing cars as status symbols.[/i]

Nobody does, do they?

But the difference (IMO) between the pointless BMW and the pointless Audi is that at least the Audi looks beautiful.

I'd say the Audi looks rather plain. Not offensive, just a bit.. nothing..

the BMW is 'challenging' to look at - but most BMWs are when they come out. Remember the last shape 5 series? Everyone said it had eyes like dame vera lynn but now it looks smooth, understated and, well, good.

Be interesting to see what people think of these in 6 years as well. Might be surprising

Jeez. Imagine getting this wound up about cars that other people drive.

due to not seeing cars as status symbols.

Nobody does, do they?

yes, sadly some people do...they really do...

Inspired by MarkBrewer, I've found my favourite SniffPetrol fake advert:

[img] [/img]

[i]due to not seeing cars as status symbols.[/i]

Nobody does, do they?

You'd be surprised!

aracer - Member
So what does your X6 say about your status, random? I'm struggling here due to not seeing cars as status symbols.

I don't drive an X6?

Ever notice these "pointless" or "stupid" car threads are always about cars the OP and subsequent posters can't afford?

Not really as most are leased.
If you have to lease a car, you cannot afford it.

On road rides we had a phrase 'He's hard in his car' about bad or aggressive drivers.
The X6 is just another example of this (basically a dick extension for wimps).

I saw a couple of guys in one the other day in Manchester. They didn't look like wimps to me.

Yes but no but you're missing the point : they would be wimps on a bike.
Totally not biking folk.

🙂

Passat CC is a great car.. the mistake they made was calling it Passat CC if they had re-badged it some other luxury VW name then it would have had a place in the line up. its basically aluxury pasat which they don't make.

Regarding the porsche Panamera, how is that pointless? It's about the most practical car Porsche make. Ugly, maybe but I like it a lot.

But why would you want a Porsche that was made for a purpose?

Buying sportscars, supercars, hypercars etc should be about wanton excess, not boring family practicality. Buy a 5 series touring if you want to lug a load or carry feral children to soccer practice.

Think you're hard?
Get up Burrington Coombe in under 7:20 on a bike then.
etc
etc
Fight from your strengths not weaknesses.
Being big does not make you hard : it just means you are heavy.

I saw a couple of guys in one the other day in Manchester. They didn't look like wimps to me

Most drug dealers aren't wimps

The X6 is a fairly pointless car, but when you consider the market they are aiming for (RR Sport, Big Audis, BMW X5) it kind of makes sense - I mean how often do you see a RR Sport or BMW X5 being used to its full potential? round where I live most RR Sports are used to transport kids to School, then their mums onto the beauticians, so if you are only using your huge, powerfull status symbol for these tasks, does it matter if it is a coupe? it isn't going to be running garden waste to the council tip or picking up paving slabs from Wickes anytime soon...

As far as i'm concerned the X6 is an automotive posh handbag, pointless, but if you like it, why not?

Is it really any different to fat middle aged men buying a 4k mountain bike and riding it round Swinley forest once a month?

Even if I lived an idle rich lifestyle I doubt I'd buy an X6, mostly because i'd rather have an Audi RS6... and a Bowler Wildcat for when it snowed...

And I bet they can look after themselves, even if they can't make it up Burrington Combe in seven and a third minutes. Immagonna shout that at them if I see them again though. They'll be so deflated.